Oh the old "regional" argument
I made the point well up the thread about the reaction of the two police officers being killed as, 'at least they'l know what it is like to lose one of their own'.
Whilst in a pub in Liverpool, inbetween football being shown. That was challenged (a Hillsborough survivour was there).
There is hatred towards the police at the moment.
This killer was being harboured, at the time, the guns were still on the streets.
It was important to use emotive language which would get the wanted reaction from a wife/girlfriend/mum, or a make friend (it is usually the GF who comes forward, though).
These guns would probly pass through Merseryside (a lot of guns from Manchester do). There is a different reaction when women are killed.
It was important that these were seen as young women (girls may have been used wrongly) and someone's daughter.
I don't know if the guns are still 'on the streets', but the aim was to shift the attitude that those handling them are hero's and the criminal world is getting one over on the police.
The first arrest over praise being given for the killer has come from Merseryside.
Many would happily hide these guns and hide those involved, just to be able to say that they have been involved, in police being killed.